Struggling as a Villain

Jin doesn't know why this was happening. He was so close to achieving his dream...to attain what he had envisioned for so long. However, all of a sudden, some monsters from the other side of the portal intruded into his territory and began tearing his dream slowly.

Although he knew that the people on the other side were strong, he didn't expect them to take charge this soon. In the first place, how could they know that the teleportation portals would bring them here?

Nothing was making sense. All the soldiers sent on the other side were bound by the Vow of not answering a single question whoever asked. And only one soldier has ever been captured until now.

*Click*

Opening the door, Jin looked at the silver-haired man sitting near the window, before shouting, "Hey, you! You said no one on Clion would ever attack us! Then what is this?!"

The silver-haired individual turned to face Jin. A wide grin extended the clone's mouth as it said, "How dumb you can be to believe in someone whom you met a few months ago. You did everything I told you and foolishly followed my directions in the hopes of attaining your oh-so-noble dream."

Jin gritted his teeth and launched toward the bastard with his hand clutching a short sword.

*Swis*

However, all he slashed was open air as the figure of the clone dissolved into the mist,

"Good, good. Continue to dance like a fool while your lover is being taken away~" the clone mocked, its voice resounding in the room yet no person visible to the naked eyes

Jin's eyes widened upon hearing that.

Rena....someone is trying to take his Rena away?!

*CLANG*

Dropping the sword, he dashed out of the room, leaving a grinning clone behind.

The being, who has an identical face to Ethan, voiced, "You need to wait. Let the battle weaken him a little more."

[Understood, but don't make me wait for long.]

.....

Richard slowly removed the shackles from her ankles and wrists, letting Rena first rest on the chair for a bit.

"How long has it been?" Rena asked. She couldn't remember how long she had been caged here. Whenever her powers were drawn, her mind slipped away and she spent days, even weeks sometimes, while sleeping. Because of the life-support and her mana, she didn't die. However, her body was extremely fragile at the moment because of a lack of nutrients.

"A few years...enough to make that brat into a mature man."

Hearing the word 'brat,' the first name that came to her lips was, "Carl....how is he?"

Richard nodded in assurance, "He is alive and healthy. He just remain anxious all the time about you."

Rena smiles softly, "...I left him alone, surely he will be troubled." After their parents' demise, in this catastrophic world, Carl had no one but his sister who always gave him the motivation to continue living.

"Rey....I don't think...I can move...much..." Rena noticed now that her heart was beating very slowly, and her eyes were darkening, passing each second.

Richard already sensed the fact that Rena wouldn't survive for long at this rate. So much mana has been sucked out, that it has affected her life force. Now, unrestrained from those shackles that provided her with life support, she was facing the consequences of someone else's selfish desires.

"Don't worry, Rena, I will save you." Richard softly whispered as he kissed the top of her head.

**HISSSSS**

Richard narrowed his eyes as he heard the footsteps and felt the change in air.

He whispered, "Jasmine." The raven-haired woman appeared before her Lord with her knee planted on the ground,

"Protect her." Richard voiced before he stepped away from Rena—only to feel a tug on his sleeve.

Glancing back, he was met with a pair of shaky eyes, as he heard, "You...won't abandon me, right?"

Richard smiled warmly at the girl as he uttered, "Nothing in the world can separate us now."

Richard stepped out of the cell, his boots echoing against the cold, damp floor. His eyes narrowed as he took in the sight before him—Brad on his knees, trembling violently. His head was tilted back unnaturally, eyes rolled into the whites, mouth parted wide as if silently screaming.

The man's body quaked as horrifying memories consumed him—the screams of his family, their lifeless bodies sprawled on the blood-soaked ground from that cruel day in his childhood. Jin's skill twisted the blade of that trauma, forcing Brad to relive it over and over.

Jin was using his skill without mercy. He had only one goal in mind; to destroy anything and everything that came between him and his Rena.

As Richard's sharp gaze met Jin's, the madman's lips curled into a chilling smile. "If you don't want your friend to tear himself apart, let Rena go," he hissed, his voice dripping with venom.

Richard didn't speak. Instead, he raised a single finger.

Before Jin could react, a soundless, invisible force erupted from Richard, cutting through the oppressive air.

**CRACK**

Under Jin's horrified gaze, his spell circle was broken into pieces, his mana connection being cut off from his spell as he lost his balance as well.

*Dhak*

Brad fell to the ground, the abrupt disconnection of the skill making him unconscious.

Richard used Telekinesis to transport Brad into the cell. The door slammed shut behind him, leaving the redhead alone with the now-paling Jin.

Jin's lips trembled as he began chanting again, desperation lacing every syllable. The corridor grew colder as an ominous fog began to rise, crawling across the ground like living shadows. The dense smog crept forward, seeking Richard, but—

**Crack**

Richard, once again, used the dismantling spell and completely broke the spell circle before the smog could have reached him.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"How...this..can be..." Jin couldn't believe his eyes as he tried to summon another circle once again, but the result was the same,

**CRACK**

An invisible force that eradicated the spell formation, and each strike made Jin feel nauseous.

"No… no… NO!" Jin screamed, his voice teetering on hysteria. He chanted faster now, his words slurred, his desperation growing with each failed attempt.

But no matter how many times he tried—

**CRACK** *CRACK** **CRACK**

Each spell circle was obliterated the moment it formed. The relentless dismantling was merciless, stripping Jin of any chance to retaliate. Each time the force struck, it felt as if claws raked through his mind, tearing at his focus, his soul.

"Stay… stay away!" Jin's voice cracked as Richard advanced, his every step unhurried, deliberate, terrifying.

*Grab*

Richard reached the person who was now shaking head to toe, with his face pale and his eyes trembling at the unbelievable sight of someone suppressing his renowned skill.

He held Jin by the collar and slapped him with enough force to shatter his jaw and remove several teeth from their sockets.

Blood spat out of his mouth, as Jin cried in agony.

Richard raised his hand again, making Jin flinch in horror, but this time, a warm sensation covered his face as Jin felt his broken jaw getting repaired. However, the momentary relief was soon turned into horror, when Richard said,

"Killing you right away, won't be fun. Let me show a fragment a pain which my friend has faced in these many years."

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A/N:- Thanks for reading.